Show NotesRachael had this to say: This story is part of a shared world project I did with several friends who happen to be fellow Escape Artists authors, although this is the only story in the project so far to reach publication. I’m always looking for new ways to peer pressure them into finishing their chapters of this project, so if you enjoy this one, please help me by shaming them with effusive praise on Twitter!

Rachael K. Jones grew up in various cities across Europe and North America, picked up (and mostly forgot) six languages, and acquired several degrees in the arts and sciences. Now she writes speculative fiction in Portland, Oregon. Her debut novella, Every River Runs to Salt, will be out with Fireside Fiction in late 2018. Contrary to the rumors, she is probably not a secret android. Rachael is a World Fantasy Award nominee and Tiptree Award honoree. Her fiction has appeared in dozens of venues worldwide, including Lightspeed, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Strange Horizons, and all four Escape Artists podcasts. Follow her on Twitter @RachaelKJones.

Kara Grace is an aspiring voice actress and geographer always looking for new adventures and projects. This is her first narration in a long time and she’s really excited to get back to this world!

Dad said you can’t buy friends, but that’s not always true, because I bought my best friend Zilla with my 10th birthday money. She didn’t cost much because velociraptors were pests, which meant there were too many of them in Absence, and nobody liked them. Rooster’s Rescue was overflowing with raptors.

I thought this was one of the most powerful stories of 2018. It was so sad that neither her parents nor anyone else listened to her enough to understand what she was saying, let alone believe her, which of course has all kinds of parallels with real-life abuse stories. I mean, if I were a parent, I probably wouldn't want my child getting a raptor as a pet in the first place, but just saying "sorry it ran away" while secretly rejoicing is ... not great. However, I did find it inspiring at the end how she remained convinced about the truth of what happened, and refused to be silenced about it.